Note 16: Related Party Transactions

During 2015, Marquis entered into a mezzanine loan in the amount of up to $7.0 million (the “ICF Loan”) with Isaac Capital Fund I, LLC (“ICF”), a private lender whose managing member is Jon Isaac, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (see Note 11).

On April 9, 2020, the Company entered into an unsecured revolving line of credit promissory note whereby ICG agreed to provide the Company with a $1.0 million revolving credit facility (the “ICG Revolver”) (see Note 11).

Customer Connexx LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of JanOne Inc. (formerly Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc.), rents approximately 9,900 square feet of office space from the Company at its Las Vegas office which totals 16,500 square feet. JanOne Inc. paid the Company approximately $218,000 and $190,000 in rent and other common area reimbursed expenses for the years ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Tony Isaac, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and Virland Johnson, former Chief Financial Officer of the Company, are President and Chief Executive Officer and members of the Board of Directors, and Chief Financial Officer of JanOne Inc., respectively.

On April 25, 2018, ASH delivered to the Seller the ApplianceSmart Note in the Original Principal Amount, as such amount may be adjusted per the terms of the ApplianceSmart Note. The ApplianceSmart Note is effective as of April 1, 2018 and matures on the Maturity Date. The ApplianceSmart Note bears interest at 5% per annum with interest payable monthly in arrears. Ten percent of the outstanding principal amount will be repaid annually on a quarterly basis, with the accrued and unpaid principal due on the Maturity Date. ApplianceSmart has agreed to guaranty repayment of the ApplianceSmart Note. The remaining approximately $2.6 million of the Purchase Price was paid in cash by ASH to the Seller. ASH may reborrow funds, and pay interest on such re-borrowings, from the Seller up to the Original Principal Amount. In connection with the discharge of certain debts of ApplianceSmart in bankruptcy (see Note 17), the balance due of approximately $2.8 million was written off. Consequently, as of September 30, 2022, there was no balance due.

On April 5, 2022, the Company entered into a Purchasing Agreement with ARCA Recycling, Inc. (“ARCA”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of JanOne. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company agrees to purchase inventory from time to time for ARCA as set forth in submitted purchase orders. The inventory is owned by the Company until ARCA installs it in customer's homes, and payment by ARCA to the Company is due upon ARCA's receipt of payment from the customer. All purchases made by the Company shall be paid back by ARCA in full plus an additional five percent surcharge or broker-type fee. The term of the Agreement is one year, and automatically renews if not terminated by either party. As of September 30, 2022, the amount due from ARCA was approximately $518,000, and the inventory balance was approximately $125,000. For the year ended September 30, 2022, the Company recorded broker fees of approximately $99,000.

In connection with the purchase of Vintage Stock, on November 3, 2016, Vintage Stock Affiliated Holdings, LLC (“VSAH”) and Vintage Stock entered into a seller financed mezzanine loan in the amount of $10.0 million with the previous owners of Vintage Stock. The Company executed a promissory note (the “Sellers Subordinated Acquisition Note”), which bears interest at 8% per annum, with interest payable monthly in arrears. The Sellers Subordinated Acquisition Note, as amended, has a maturity date of September 23, 2023. As of June 30, 2022, the amount was fully repaid.

On July 10, 2020, the Company executed a promissory note (the “Spriggs Promissory Note”) in favor of Spriggs Investments, LLC (“Spriggs Investments”), a limited liability company whose sole member is Rodney Spriggs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vintage Stock, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, that memorializes a loan by Spriggs Investments to the Company in the initial principal amount of $2.0 million (the “Spriggs Loan”). The Spriggs Loan originally matured on July 10, 2022; however, the maturity date was extended to July 10, 2023, pursuant to unanimous consent of the Board of Directors. The Spriggs Promissory Note bears simple interest at a rate of 10.0% per annum. As of September 30, 2022, the balance due was $2.0 million.

On July 1, 2022, in connection with its acquisition of Better Backers, Marquis entered into two building leases with Spyglass Estate Planning, LLC, a limited liability company whose sole member is Jon Isaac, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. The building leases are for 20-years with two options to renew for an additional five years each (see Note 5 above). The provisions of the lease agreements include an initial 24-month month-to-month rental period, during which the lessee may cancel with 90-day notice, followed by a 20-year lease term with two five-year renewal options. The Company has evaluated each lease and determined the rent amounts to be at market rates.

Sale of ApplianceSmart Contracting

On April 22, 2020, the Company sold ApplianceSmart Contracting Inc. (“ApplianceSmart Contracting”) to Michelle Cooper, a related party as a result of her relationship with Virland A. Johnson, the Company’s former Chief Financial Officer, for $60,000. In connection with the sale, and under the terms of a purchase and sale agreement and a secured promissory note (the “ASC Note”), the Company agreed to loan ApplianceSmart Contracting up to approximately $382,000 to satisfy then outstanding sales tax obligations owed by ApplianceSmart Contracting. Advances under the loan are only made by the Company to ApplianceSmart Contracting upon the presentation of evidence by ApplianceSmart Contracting of the satisfaction of one or more outstanding state sales tax amounts. Advances bear interest at 8.0% per annum. The loan matures on September 30, 2022 or on such earlier date as provided in the Note. The loan is guaranteed by the related party and secured by the assets of ApplianceSmart Contracting. At the closing of the sale transaction, the Company advanced ApplianceSmart Contracting $60,000. As of September 30, 2022, the note was paid in full.